Autotech Upper stress bar...

[mr.utility at highstream.net (David Utley)]

Volks,
   Many of you will probably recall the discussion over stress bars in
general less than two weeks back...  Well, I have had an interesting
development that some of you may find interesting...

  All of these experiences are with an '83 Rabbit it should be known...

Before installing the above mentioned bar, I had a cheapy bar on the car.
The bar looks something close to this...  >------<, just bent steel.  When I
got it, it was off a little, so it was hard to install...  I went ahead and
installed it with its' bends unmodified.  I realized later that this
preloaded the suspension, so I fixed it, and I could feel the difference (no
empiricism at all).
Well, thanks to Jeff Toomasson, I bought an Autotech upper stress bar.  This
bar is aluminum, and it has a ring on each end that mounts to the strut
bushing housing.  Before installing, I sent it to my local powder coater for
a good dose of ceramic coating.  I installed it on Friday, and I could not
believe the difference between the two pieces...  The other bar seemed like
a small improvement, but the new bar is so much better, it is not funny.
There is a stretch of I-44 that runs right by my apt.  It is highly banked
for high speed turns (even though they did it wrong), and it is exceedingly
bunmpy between each sectoin of concrete.  Before I could not take this much
faster than 85 before I really felt like I was out of control.  Now, I can
take it at full throttle, without feeling like I am near death.  Vibrations
are diminished, it is quieter on the interior, and get this.  Buffeting from
semis or cross winds is greatly reduced!  I love this bar!

I will admit that this bar will prolly not improve the Scirocco as much as
it did my GTI, but I will tell you that if you decide you must have an upper
bar, go with this one!  On the rear bar, I will be seroiusly considering
aluminum as well..

Disclaimer:  These results were achieved without any empirical data
whatsoever.  They were also done so without the expertise of an professional
driver.  Do not attempt.  Do not duplicate.  Do not repeat...  :)

David Utley

Feeeling punchy, and I do not know why...